KUALA LUMPUR, June 12 — Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the government will gather more detailed workforce data before making any decisions on foreign worker quotas in the restaurant and construction sectors.

He said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had directed several ministries to engage with industry players and obtain a clearer picture of labour requirements.

“As Malaysia currently maintains a policy on limiting the overall number of foreign workers, the prime minister directed the Human Resources Ministry, the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry, the Housing and Local Government Ministry, and the Works Ministry to obtain more detailed information from industry players regarding labour requirements, including demand for foreign workers,” he said.

He added that the information collected would be studied further before being brought back to the Cabinet for deliberation.

Last month, Anwar said Malaysia must reduce its reliance on foreign labour as it advances towards a higher value, more developed economy.

He said the government is strengthening training capacity across technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions, universities and colleges to build a more skilled local workforce and lessen dependence on foreign workers.

“As we move up the economic ladder, we realise that we cannot continue to rely on cheap foreign labour,” he said at the Ilmuwan Malaysia Madani forum held at the Securities Commission in Kuala Lumpur.